PGO Appeals to Supreme Court to Reinstate Key Evidence in Yameen Case

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the High Court’s directive to disregard certain evidence in the money laundering and bribery case against former Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, related to the sale of V. Aarah.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2022, for bribery and money laundering charges connected to the sale of V. Aarah. However, the High Court overturned the conviction on April 18, ordering a retrial instead of a full exoneration.

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The High Court also instructed the lower court to disregard some of the evidence submitted during the original trial. The PGO contends that the procedure for accepting this evidence could be revised during the retrial and argues that the High Court’s order to disregard it contradicts Supreme Court precedents. Consequently, the PGO filed a petition with the Supreme Court on January 24 to overturn this decision.

The PGO emphasised that it is only appealing the portion of the High Court’s judgement related to the evidence, and not the entire ruling, which means the order for a retrial remains unaffected.

This case marks the second time a conviction against Yameen has been overturned. In 2021, the Supreme Court overturned a five-year sentence against him for money laundering connected to the sale of GA. Vodamulla, another island leased for resort development during his administration.

The conviction in the Aarah case disqualified Yameen from contesting the 2023 presidential elections. Although he initially urged the opposition PPM-PNC (Progressive Party of Maldives-People’s National Congress) coalition to boycott the election, he later endorsed President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, who won the coalition’s internal vote to select a backup candidate.

Yameen was transferred to house arrest on October 1, 2023, a day after President Muizzu won the presidential election. Shortly after President Muizzu assumed office in November, Yameen left the ruling PPM-PNC and began efforts to form a new party, the People’s National Front (PNF).